The Middlesex Life

Peter Walker | Patty Gongaware | Scott Henwood
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Places & Travel
  • Updated Biweekly

News, information, and history of the Middlesex Township community in Butler County, Pennsylvania

  1. 23 Jen Balsiger | Butler Birders Club

    Jun 11

    23 Jen Balsiger | Butler Birders Club

    TML welcomes Jen Balsiger, founder of the Butler Birders Club to talk about who is a birder and why they do what they do. The township is filled with great experiences to observe and be a part of nature with birds being an incredible part of it. Peter lets us know just how far back birding goes in the township, and Patty keeps us informed of the fun things ahead on the calendar. Podcast notes Email us: TheMiddlesexLife@Gmail.com Middlesex Community Action (website) Sign up for official Middlesex Twp notifications here Next Board of Supervisors Township Meeting: Wed, Jun 17 @ 6:30pm Next Planning Commission Meeting: Wed, Jun 24 @ 6:30pm Township Bldg — Browns Hill Road Jen Balsiger Founder | Butler Birders Club FB: Butler Birders Club w: butlerbirders.club e: Jen@butlerbirders.club Inside the Episode Jennings Environmental Center Audubon Society Master Birder Program Merlin Bird app by Cornell Lab for iOS What’s On June 11Picnic & Music in the Park - Succup Nature Park - Airport Rd 6:30pm-8:30pm - Free Tables and seating under the pavilion, or bring a blanket and spread out on the lawn as you enjoy the beauty of the grounds and some great local talent! Jun 12-14 15th Annual Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival Downtown Butler & Coopers Lake, Slippery Rock Trails, obstacles, vendors, Jeep history, and more; Honor our shared American spirit and Bantam’s incredible legacy.  June 13 Our Frontier Landscapes on the Road to Revolution and Beyond9am - Free - Adults + kids over 12Jennings Environmental Education Center, Prospect Rd, Slippery Rock 2 hours, 3 miles, varied terrainFrom our geology, flora, and fauna to the evidence of human use throughout that time, participants will discover ways of seeing the landscape that help to unravel some of the myths and mysteries in our revolutionary history. Seasonal Farmers Markets Harvest Valley Farm Market & Bakery, 5820 William Flynn Highway Freedom Farms Farmers Market, 779 Pittsburgh Rd. Butler

    42 min
  2. 22 Jim Brown & Greg Vikanovak | Middlesex Twp Volunteer Fire Co

    May 28

    22 Jim Brown & Greg Vikanovak | Middlesex Twp Volunteer Fire Co

    Scott and Peter are given the opportunity to talk with Jim Brown, President of MTVFC, and Greg Vikanovak, Chief of MTVFC to discuss the role the fire company plays in the township and the ways people can get involved. Email us: TheMiddlesexLife@Gmail.com Middlesex Community Action (website) Sign up for official Middlesex Twp notifications here Next Board of Supervisors Township Meeting: Wed, Jun 17 @ 6:30pm Next Planning Commission Meeting: Wed, Jun 24 @ 6:30pm Township Bldg — Browns Hill Road Jim Brown & Greg Vikanovak President & Chief | Middlesex Twp Volunteer Fire Department w: middlesexvfc.com p: (724) 898-1480 Emergency: 911 130 Browns Hill Road Valencia, PA 16059 What’s On May 31Goat Yoga on the Farm 5:30-7:30 (Multiple dates all summer) $40 One hour of outdoor yoga with the goats, then one hour of goat cuddling and cider or beer, and cheese tasting afterwards. Please bring your own mat and water. Jun 6-7 Mars New Year  - Celebrating the New Year on the red planet.  5-10 Saturday; 2-10 Sunday  Fun, and immersive activities for all ages, with exhibits from organizations like NASA, Astrobotic; speakers including cosmonauts, NASA and planetary scientists; rocket launches; educational STEAM activities; maker space, costume contest, music, and night time drone show! Plus the 11th Annual Mars Brewfest   Every Saturday May-October Mars Farm Market - Woodland Valley Church parking lot - 9-Noon Details on their Facebook Page Also visit  Harvest Valley Farm Market & Bakery, 5820 William Flynn Highway Freedom Farms Farmers Market, 779 Pittsburgh Rd. Butler

    44 min
  3. 21 Jill Sweet | Pine Tree Center Performing Arts

    May 14

    21 Jill Sweet | Pine Tree Center Performing Arts

    Peter is joined by Susie Salter to go for a walk through her property examining some of the old oil wells still remaining, and we get to go along for the conversation! Jill Sweet then gives us all a picture of what it's like to own a dance studio and bring her passion for people and the performing arts to Middlesex Township. Peter and Patty also give a review of the MCA's Woodland Workshop in case you missed it. Email us: TheMiddlesexLife@Gmail.com Middlesex Community Action (website) Sign up for official Middlesex Twp notifications here Next Board of Supervisors Township Meeting: Wed, May 20 @ 6:30pm Next Planning Commission Meeting: Wed, May 27 @ 6:30pm Susie Salter | A Walk Among Oil Wells Jill Sweet Owner | Pine Center Performing Arts FB: PineTreePerformingArts Insta:  YouTube:  w: PineTreeCenter.com e: jsweet@pinetreecenter.com p: (724) 898-1122 What’s On May 21Saxonburg Mingle on Main  Main St. Saxonburg 5:30pm-8:30pm Family friendly, all things local, food, drinks, vendors, car cruise, music, fun May 23 Butler Birders Club’s Bird by Ear Workshop  Alameda Park Butler, meet at Jaycee Shelter 9am-10am Learn tips and tricks to listen to birdsong and identify birds Flat paved path Free but register Questions? jen@butlerbirders.club   Found an injured bird?Contact Stormy Oaks Nature Conservancy by phone only - leave a message (724) 898-1788 Birds only - Passerines (Songbirds, Swifts, Swallows) and Raptors (Birds of Prey) Please do not take birds without talking to someone there first

    40 min
  4. 020 Amanda Becker | Appleseed Events

    Apr 30

    020 Amanda Becker | Appleseed Events

    This episode the team talks with Appleseed Events owner and founder, Amanda Becker. They discuss some of the challenges of running an events planning business and the types of people who naturally love this kind of work. Maybe you're one of them! They also talk about the growth of agriculture and the historical context of how the area's farms came to be. Email us: TheMiddlesexLife@Gmail.com Middlesex Community Action (website) Sign up for official Middlesex Twp notifications here Next Board of Supervisors Township Meeting: Wed, May 20 @ 6:30pm Next Planning Commission Meeting: Wed, May 27 @ 6:30pm Amanda Becker Owner | Appleseed Events FB: AppleseedEvents Insta: appleseedevents YouTube:  w: Appleseed Events w: AllGreen Outdoor Living e: amanda@appleseedeventspgh.com p: (724) 931-2507 Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Village What’s On Saturday May 2 PA Geology Tour (Self-Driven) 9-2PM $15/members- $25/non-members This driving tour will meet at the Miller Esker Natural Area (also known as Jacksville Esker), Worth Township, near Portersville. Then drive to McConnell’s Mill State Park and look at 300 million year old rock formations. Then travel to Cleland rock overlook and learn how melting glacial water ripped out a deep gorge in a geologic instant. (Eskers form when melting ice carves a river-like tunnel within a glacier; as the glacier recedes, sand and gravel are deposited and leave behind a serpentine mound that becomes covered with soil and vegetation.) Contact Ryan Stauffer at rstauffer@aswp.org Those who sign up will receive a detailed email that will include all locations, directions, and a list of what to bring. Saturday May 9 How to care for your woodland property FREE workshop for Middlesex Township residents Organized by Middlesex Community Action & Jess Pierce, DCNR Forestry Township offices 133 Browns Hill Road • 1-4PM Learn about How to care for your woodland property How to keep invasive plants under control How well-managed woodland can give you a source of income Register by emailing Peter Walker peterjcwalker@gmail.com

    50 min
  5. 019 Priscilla Green | Freedom To Focus

    Apr 16

    019 Priscilla Green | Freedom To Focus

    This week the team delves into the fascinating world of virtual assistants with Priscilla Green, owner and founder of Freedom To Focus. And some exciting things are coming up for you to join in with! Check the podcast notes for details. Email us: TheMiddlesexLife@Gmail.com Middlesex Community Action (website) Sign up for official Middlesex Twp notifications here Next Board of Supervisors Township Meeting: Wed, May 4 @ 6:30pm Next Planning Commission Meeting: Wed, April 22 @ 6:30pm Priscilla Green Owner | Freedom To Focus FB: freedomtofocus Insta: freedomtofocus w: Freedom To Focus e: hello@freedomtofocusbiz.com Global Sisterhood Online What’s On I Map Invasives — Learn about invasive species in your community!  Saturday April 2510:00AM – 12:00PM Jennings Environmental Education Center Classroom  2951 Prospect Rd. Slippery Rock, PA 16057 Free; No Registration Required April is Invasive Pest and Disease Awareness Month! Curious about invasive plants and insects in your community? iMapInvasives is an online tool for professionals and citizen scientists to track and record invasive species. The Pennsylvania Coordinator for this project will talk about this website and mobile app, and how you can use it to help protect our natural resources. In addition, you will meet Ruby the Spotted-Lanternfly-sniffing dog and her handler Shelby! MCA Woodlands Workshop Saturday May 9 1:00PM - 4:00PM Township offices: 133 Browns Hill Road How to care for your woodland property FREE workshop for Middlesex Township residents Organized by Middlesex Community Action & Jess Pierce, DCNR Forestry Learn about:How to care for your woodland property How to keep invasive plants under control How well-managed woodland can give you a source of income Register by emailing Peter Walker peterjcwalker@gmail.com

    49 min
  6. 018 Jimi Dean | Jimi's Sunnyside Up Diner

    Apr 1

    018 Jimi Dean | Jimi's Sunnyside Up Diner

    Peter sits down for a rare on-site conversation with Jimi Dean, owner of Jimi's Sunnyside Up Diner, and the team talks about 300 million years worth of soil. You have to hear it to believe it. Email us: TheMiddlesexLife@Gmail.com Middlesex Community Action (website) Sign up for official Middlesex Twp notifications here Next Board of Supervisors Township Meeting: Wed, April 15 @ 6:30pm Next Planning Commission Meeting: Wed, April 22 @ 6:30pm Jimi Dean, Owner | Jimi’s Sunnyside Up Diner Address: 1318 Pittsburgh Rd, Valencia, PA 16059 FB: Jimi's Sunnyside Up Diner p: (724) 898-0000 What’s On Butler Birders Club Book Discussion April 17 The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl 5-6 Succop Nature Park - The House 185 Airport Rd. Gather with fellow readers for a cup of tea and a thoughtful discussion of the book of the month Washington’s Trail 1753 - Annual Summit April 16 8:30am-4:00pm Butler Country Club 310 Country Club Rd, Butler, PA The area of Washington’s Trail that Washington explored and traveled became an important part of the Revolutionary War. This event will look at the people, places and things that helped Washington evolve a fledgling army into a forceful one. Hear how the inhabitants and the frontier that they guarded became an important part of Washington’s success. $75 - Must register Includes day of speakers, networking, continental breakfast, buffet lunch, displays, vendors, door prize drawings. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. Program begins promptly at 9 a.m.

    40 min
  7. 017 Jessica Pierce, PaDCNR and Melissa Sullivan, Valencia Donut Co

    Mar 19

    017 Jessica Pierce, PaDCNR and Melissa Sullivan, Valencia Donut Co

    Peter starts us off by taking a walk in the woods with Jessica Pierce, Middlesex native and Forester for PA Dept of Conservation and Natural Resources. They discuss the nature of the area and the uniqueness of our township. Then the team has a chat with Melissa Sullivan, owner of Valencia Donut Co and world traveler, who decided to put down community roots in Middlesex Township by buying the business. Email us: TheMiddlesexLife@Gmail.com Middlesex Community Action (website) Sign up for official Middlesex Twp notifications here Next Board of Supervisors Township Meeting: Wed, April 15 @ 6:30pm Next Planning Commission Meeting: Wed, Mar 25 @ 6:30pm Jessica Pierce, Forester | PA Dept of Conservation and Natural Resources FB: PaDCNR Insta: PaDCNR Melissa Sullivan, Owner | Valencia Donut Co w: ValenciaDonutCo.com FB: Valencia Donut Co Insta: ValenciaDonutCo YouTube:  e: Order Online Here! p: (724) 903-0400 What’s On Native Seed Paper Making - Succop Nature Preserve  March 21, 10am - 12pm $10 member, $15 nonmember Learn the process of up-cycling junk mail and scrap paper and try your hand at making some sheets to take home and hand-harvested native wildflower seeds to create seed paper. Use as a gift tag, card, or card insert. Family friendly (school age and up), registration required.   Butler County Career Fair   Free and open to the community! March 25, 10am - 2pm  Butler Community College Field House 107 College Drive, Butler Campus  Meet employers from the Greater Pittsburgh region. Attendees do not need to pre-register.  If you are job hunting, please bring copies of your updated resume to distribute to employers. Professional dress is expected.

    46 min
  8. 016 Art King | Harvest Valley Farms

    Mar 8

    016 Art King | Harvest Valley Farms

    The Middlesex Township legendary farmer himself, Art King, joins the team and talks about the past, present, and future of Harvest Valley Farms and farming in general. Don't be fooled. Farming is a science as well as an art. No pun intended, Art. Email us: ⁠TheMiddlesexLife@Gmail.com⁠ ⁠Middlesex Community Action⁠ (website) Sign up for official Middlesex Twp notifications ⁠here⁠ Next Board of Supervisors Township Meeting: Wed, Mar 18 @ 6:30PM Here’s the ⁠PICTURE⁠ of the invoice Peter found! Let us know what you decipher at ⁠TheMiddlesexLife@gmail.com⁠ Art King | Harvest Valley Farms Join the ⁠Harvest Valley Farms CSA⁠ here w: ⁠harvestvalleyfarms.com⁠ FB: ⁠Harvest Valley Farms⁠ Insta: ⁠EatLocl⁠ YouTube:  e: ⁠Contact CSA Manager⁠ p: (724) 898-3276 What’s On Mars High School Musical Theatre presents The Wizard of Oz March 13 & 14 7:30pm in the HS auditorium Tickets on sale ⁠cur8.com⁠   SRU Theatre presents Ride The Cyclone, the musical March 6-7, 10-11 at 7:30, March 8 matinee at 2pm SRU’s East Stoner Black Box Theatre - 103 Campus Dr, Slippery Rock “Hilarious and outlandish story, the lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other — the chance to return to life. This popular musical is a funny, moving look at what makes a life well-lived!” Tickets are general admission - buy at ⁠www.sru.edu/tickets⁠ or in person at the box office $15 for adults; $12 students 74th annual GFWC Intermediate League Of Butler Antiques Show And Sale March 20-21-22   6-9pm; 3/21-22 open at 10am at the Tesla/Ramada - 139 Pittsburgh Road Butler Info on their Facebook page ⁠⁠GFCW Intermediate League⁠⁠ Over 35 dealers - toys, glassware, jewelry, furniture and more Proceeds will benefit community projects Tickets $15 for Friday; $10 for Saturday or Sunday

    45 min
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About

News, information, and history of the Middlesex Township community in Butler County, Pennsylvania

Information

  • Creator
    Peter Walker | Patty Gongaware | Scott Henwood
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Peter Walker | Patty Gongaware | Scott Henwood
  • Show Website
    The Middlesex Life